Scapegoat

Chapter 24

Another
storm was rolling in. Skies were usually clear in January, but today was an
exception. Clouds were dark and heavy with precipitation. Snow was coming.
Winds were strong. The wind chill sent temperatures down to the negative
twenties. Even the locals were bundling up. It was cold and football season was
almost over. There was no end in sight for this burly winter.

A Starbucks
Coffee was huddled in between a variety of stores. Snow dripped over the roof.
Many people were inside trying to warm themselves with coffee. Others simply
used the shop as a way to escape from the outside conditions. Either way, the
place was packed. This was where Cynnie met Julia on a Monday afternoon.

They sat
facing each other. Both of them were rigid and tense with forced smiles on
their faces. They almost mirrored each other in their appearance. Their hands
wrapped around their lattes. Julia was dressed in pink with a fleece hat and
scarf around her neck. Cynnie had decided on green and gold for her outfit.
Every day was a good day to show pride in her team in Green Bay.

Cynnie broke
the silence. “Julia, you never told me how your Christmas was.” Her voice was
calm and polite. She did not want to cause any further trouble with her friend.

Julia gave a
simple shrug of her shoulders. “It was good. It was great to see my sister.
She’s doing fine, by the way.” She raised her eyebrows suggestively. “Though I
did tell her about your little ‘friend.’ She was not too happy to hear about
that.”

Cynnie’s
mouth turned down in a frown. “Why did you have to tell her? Can’t you let this
go?” Her eyes looked at her pleadingly. Did she really want this strain on
their friendship?

Julia shook
her head. Her eyes blazed fiercely. “I can’t, Cynnie. This is too important to
me. It hits me too deeply.”

Cynnie’s
expression changed to one of sympathy. She cared about her friend’s grievances.
She really did. She just wished that Julia would try to see her perspective as
well. “I’m sorry about what happened to your sister, Julia, but Darko is not to
blame. He did not hurt you.”

“But it was
someone like him who did!” Julia insisted fierily.

Cynnie
raised her eyebrows. “See? That’s your problem. You can only see Darko as a
member of a group. He’s much more than that. He’s a real person with real
feelings. You have to take that into account. Look at the situation, not just
the crime.”

“What about
my father?” Cynnie said quickly. “Or John or Ben?” She paused. “Or Aaron
Rodgers?”

Julia
frowned. “Obviously, there are exceptions. Maybe Green Bay is different. But
Darko has committed a crime.”

“That does
not make him bad! Everyone does wrong things. It’s just that not all of them
are crimes.” Cynnie did not know what the point was in continuing to argue with
her. She would never understand. She only saw her position and no one else’s.

“No. You’re
wrong about him,” Cynnie said stubbornly. “If you don’t want to get to know
him, that’s fine. Just stop attacking him.”

“I will once
you stop defending him!” Julia crossed her arms and looked at her angrily.
“You’re not helping me out. You know what you are? You’re a bad friend!”

Cynnie’s
eyes widened. How dare she! Now she had lost her patience. “”You’re stubborn,
judgmental, and prejudice!”

Julia
slammed her hands on the table. “I don’t have to deal with this. Good day,
Cynthia.”

Cynnie was
about to call after her, but it was too late now. She was already gone. Cynnie
slumped her shoulders and let out a heavy sigh. How had everything gone so
wrong?

The tension
in the air was palpable. Everyone knew something big was about to happen.
Cynnie’s immediate family was gathered in the living room of her house. John
was facing them all. He kept shifting around nervously. He had said there was
something he had to say to everyone. Cynnie’s mind was spinning trying to figure
out what this could possibly be. There were a number of options.

“There’s
something I should have told all of you much earlier,” John began in a slow and
steady voice. “I love the Gelateria. I’ve always loved it. I love working
there. I love making gelato and ciocolato. I love the people I get to meet.” He
paused.

Cynnie
smiled and nodded at him encouragingly. She knew what this was about now. She
appreciated that he was finally sharing how he felt and what he wanted to do.
She wondered where the sudden courage had come from.

John now
fixed his gaze on his parents. “I would like to take over ownership of the shop
once you two retire. That has always been my dream.”

Surprise
showed on the faces of everyone but Cynnie. “John,” Antonio began slowly, “you know
Ben has first right to owning the shop.”

“Did you
ever ask Ben if he wants to own the
shop?” Cynnie interjected.

Antonio
turned to her, looking startled. He looked at Ben and frowned. “You know the
shop is yours by right.”

“Yes,” Ben
said. He took a step forward so that he could look at everyone. He had gotten
over his shock. His demeanor is now calm. “But if it means that much to John,
I’ll gladly let him take over. Cynnie is right; you never asked me about what I
wanted. I never wanted to run the shop. I just thought it was my duty. I wanted
to please you. I didn’t want a non-family member to take over.” He shrugged his
shoulders and looked away.

Cynnie tried
hard to keep the grin from her face. This problem seemed to be working itself
out nicely. If only every problem could be solved this easily. Perhaps all that
was needed was courage to fight for what one wanted. She would have to remember
that for later.

Molly looked
at Ben in surprise. “What do you want to do, then, honey?”

Ben hesitated before responding, “I
have always wanted to work at the Packers Pro Shop. I’ve just never had the
chance.”

Antonio
smiled at him. “Thank you for being honest, you two. We never meant to put any
pressure on you. We just want you to be happy.” He nodded at John. “If you both
agree, you may take over the shop when your mom and I retire.” He turned to Ben
again. “You may pursue any path you wish.”

A look of
elation crossed John’s face. “Thank you, Dad! And thanks, Ben.” He glanced at
Cynnie and smiled knowingly.

Cynnie
grinned at him. She was happy for her brother. She was sure he would be much
better off now that he was free to follow his dream.

February 7th,
2013. That was the day another Perrino came into the world. Cynnie had been at
home grading her students’ work when she received the news. She let her parents
go ahead of her before picking up Darko and dashing to the hospital. Ben had
said he wanted her friend there, for whatever reason.

Cynnie and
Darko had to wait to see Helen and the baby. Finally, as Antonio and Molly
walked out, they were allowed inside. Helen was lying on a bed with the covers
over her. A tiny baby was wrapped in a blanket in her arms. Ben stood of to the
right side of the bed, staring at his wife with admiration in her eyes.

“Hello,”
Cynnie greeted them with a smile.

“Hi,” Darko
said a little more hesitantly.

Helen looked
up at them and gave them a tired smile. “Hey, guys.”

“How are you
doing?” Cynnie asked gently.

“Fine. Do
you want to come see him?”

Cynnie
accepted the invitation right away. She loved babies. She came over to Helen’s
side to peer at the little boy. When he opened his eyes she could see that they
were green like his mother’s. Darko came to stand beside her. He gazed at the
baby curiously.

“He’s
beautiful,” Cynnie said.

Helen
smiled. “Thank you.”

“What’s his
name?”

“Brett,” Ben
responded, stepping forward.

Cynnie and
Darko looked up in surprise. Helen just laughed. “It’s a good name, is it not?”
Her eyes twinkled mischievously.

Darko walked
out with Cynnie, not saying anything. Once they were out, John and Daisy headed
in. Cynnie wanted to go right to the car, but Darko stopped her in the lobby.
He had a contemplative look on his face. She blinked at him. “What is it?”

Darko took a
deep breath. Then he said, “Mardi Gras is coming up. I have not been to a parade
since high school.” He hesitated. “I will go back to Montgomery if you will go
with me.”

Cynnie was
first surprised, then happy. She knew how hard a decision this was for Darko.
She was glad he was finally ready to confront his family and his face his past.
“Of course I will go with you!” She smiled at him. “I’m proud of you.”

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